Vasoocclusion devices are surgical implants that are placed within the vasculature of the human body, typically via a catheter, either to block the flow of blood through a vessel making up that portion of the vasculature through the formation of an embolus or to form such an embolus within an aneurysm stemming from the vessel. One widely used vasoocclusive device is a helical wire coil having windings which may be dimensioned to engage the walls of the vessels. Other less stiff helically coiled devices have been described, as well as those involving woven braids.
For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,994,069, to Ritchart et al., describes a vasoocclusive coil that assumes a linear helical configuration when stretched, and assumes a folded, convoluted configuration when relaxed. The stretched configuration is used in placing the coil at the desired site, e.g. by its passage through a catheter. Once the device is so placed, the coil assumes a relaxed configuration, which is better suited to occlude the vessel. Ritchart et al. describes a variety of shapes. The secondary shapes of the disclosed coils include "flower" shapes and double vortices. A random shape is described, as well. These prior vasoocclusive devices do not maintain a three-dimensional conformation for a satisfactory period of time; the coils collapsing in upon themselves to form mere rings. A useful substantially spherical vasoocclusive device has heretofore not been made available.
Vasoocclusive coils having attached fibrous elements in a variety of secondary shapes are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,304,194, to Chee et al. Chee et al. describes a helically wound device having a secondary shape in which the fibrous elements extend in a sinusoidal fashion down the length of the coil. These coils, as with Ritchart et al., are produced in such a way that they will pass through the lumen of a catheter in a generally straight configuration, and when released from the catheter, form a relaxed and folded shape in the lumen or cavity chosen within the human body. The fibrous elements shown in Chee et al. enhance the ability of the coil to fill the space within the vasculature and to facilitate formation of embolus and subsequent allied tissue.
There are a variety of ways of discharging shaped coils and linear coils into the human vasculature. In addition to those patents which apparently describe only the physical pushing of a coil out into the vasculature (e.g., Ritchart et al.), there are a number of other ways to release the coil at a specifically chosen time and site. U.S. Pat. No. 5,354,295 and its parent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,122,136, both to Guglielmi et al., describe an electrolytically detachable embolic device.
A variety of mechanically detachable devices are also known. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,234,437, to Sepetka, shows a method of unscrewing a helically wound coil from a pusher having interlocking surfaces. U.S. Pat. No. 5,250,071, to Palermo, shows an embolic coil assembly using interlocking clasps mounted both on the pusher and on the embolic coil. U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,916, to Engelson, shows a detachable pusher-vasoocclusive coil assembly having an interlocking ball and keyway-type coupling. U.S. Pat. No. 5,304,195, to Twyford et al., shows a pusher-vasoocclusive coil assembly having an extending wire carrying a ball on its proximal end and a pusher having a similar end. The two ends are interlocked and disengage when expelled from the distal tip of the catheter. U.S. Pat. No. 5,312,415, to Palermo, also shows a method for discharging numerous coils from a single pusher by use of a guidewire which has a section capable of interconnecting with the interior of the helically wound coil. U.S. Pat. No. 5,350,397, to Palermo et al., shows a pusher having a throat at its distal end and a pusher through its axis. The pusher sheath will hold onto the end of an embolic coil and will then be released upon pushing the axially placed pusher wire against the member found on the proximal end of the vasoocclusive coil.
Vasoocclusive coils having little or no inherent secondary shape have also been described. For instance, in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/978,320, filed Nov. 18, 1992, entitled "Ultrasoft Embolization Coils with Fluid-Like Properties" by Berenstein et al., is found a coil having little or no shape after introduction into the vascular space.
Common to all of these devices described above is the characteristic of lacking a spheroid shape when relaxed. Additionally, the concept of a plurality of concentrically nested spherical vasoocclusive devices is lacking in the prior art.